A physiotherapy service to an emergency extended care unit does not decrease admission rates to hospital: a randomised trial

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dc.contributor.authorJesudason, C.
dc.contributor.authorStiller, K.
dc.contributor.authorMcInnes, M.
dc.contributor.authorSullivan, T.
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: One of the reasons physiotherapy services are provided to emergency departments (EDs) and emergency extended care units (EECUs) is to review patients’ mobility to ensure they are safe to be discharged home. AIM: To investigate whether a physiotherapy service to an EECU altered the rate of hospital admission, rate of re-presentation to the ED, visits to community healthcare practitioners, return to usual work/home/leisure activities and patient satisfaction. METHODS: A randomised trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis was undertaken in an EECU. The sample comprised 186 patients (mean age 70 years, 123 (66%) female patients, 130 (70%) trauma) who were referred for physiotherapy assessment/intervention. Referral occurred at any stage of the patients’ EECU admission. All participants received medical/nursing care as required. The physiotherapy group also received physiotherapy assessment/intervention. RESULTS: The physiotherapy group had a 4% (95% CI _18% to 9%) lower rate of admission to hospital than the control group and a 4% (95% CI _6% to 13%) higher rate of re-presentation to the ED, which were statistically non-significant (p$0.45). Differences between groups for use of community healthcare resources, return to usual work/home/leisure activities and satisfaction with their EECU care were small and not significant. CONCLUSION: A physiotherapy service for EECU patients, as provided in this study, did not reduce the rate of hospital admission, rate of re-presentation to the ED, use of community healthcare resources, or improve the rate of return to usual work/home/leisure activities or patient satisfaction.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityChristabel Jesudason, Kathy Stiller, Matthew McInnes and Thomas Sullivan
dc.identifier.citationEmergency Medicine Journal, 2012; 29(8):664-669
dc.identifier.doi10.1136/emermed-2011-200157
dc.identifier.issn1472-0205
dc.identifier.issn1472-0213
dc.identifier.orcidSullivan, T. [0000-0002-6930-5406]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/72680
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBritish Med Journal Publ Group
dc.rightsCopyright © 2012 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the College of Emergency Medicine. All rights reserved.
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2011-200157
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectHospitalization
dc.subjectPatient Readmission
dc.subjectAged
dc.subjectAged, 80 and over
dc.subjectMiddle Aged
dc.subjectEmergency Service, Hospital
dc.subjectSkilled Nursing Facilities
dc.subjectCommunity Health Services
dc.subjectPatient Satisfaction
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectPhysical Therapy Modalities
dc.titleA physiotherapy service to an emergency extended care unit does not decrease admission rates to hospital: a randomised trial
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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